Using the 3D Map Tool to Evaluate Slope of Land and Topography

When it comes to land flipping and investing, understanding the topography of a property is absolutely essential, especially when evaluating slope, accessibility, and usability.

A property that looks perfect in satellite view or on paper might actually be built into a hillside or rest at the bottom of a steep valley, which can impact development options and resale value.

That is where the 3D Map Tool on Land Portal becomes a critical tool in your land research toolkit.

Unlike the traditional 2D satellite map, the 3D tool offers a realistic immersive view of the land's terrain. This is especially helpful when verifying slope conditions that may be difficult to interpret from contour lines alone.

In this walkthrough, we will show you how to activate and use the 3D Map Tool to analyze a property in Murray, Northern Georgia.

You will learn how to search for land, locate the parcel, and toggle the 3D view for a true visual perspective on slope and elevation.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Log in to Land Portal

To get started, log in to Land Portal if you haven’t already.

Step 2: Choose a Search Method

There are three main options to locate a property:

1. Filtered Map Search: Enter details like state, county, acreage, zoning, or other preferences to find parcels that match your criteria.

2. Direct Lookup: Search using APN, property address, latitude and longitude, or owner information.

3. Zooming in on the map and clicking on individual parcels.

Step 3: Zoom In and Select a Parcel

For the sake of this walkthrough, we are going to use the Zoom In method.

Use your mouse or trackpad to zoom in on Murray county, Georgia.

Once you have a view of the area, click on a parcel you want to explore further.

Step 4: Locate the Map Tools

After selecting the parcel, look to the bottom right corner of the screen.

This is where you will find all the map tools including toggles for map layers, contour lines, and the 3D map option.

Step 5: Click the “3D” Button

Click the “3D” button to launch the 3D viewer for the parcel you selected.

The map will re-render and display the terrain in three dimensions providing a much clearer sense of the land’s slope and elevation.

Step 6: Rotate and Pan to Analyze Slope

Now you can rotate, tilt, and pan the 3D view to get different perspectives of the property.

In our example, you will see that the parcel in Northern Georgia is heavily sloped.

This might not have been clear in the default map view or even from contour lines alone, but with the 3D Tool, we can clearly see how sloped the property is.

The 3D Map Tool is one of the most effective ways to visualize the terrain of a property without having to visit in person.

Whether you are conducting due diligence before buying, flipping, or marketing land, understanding the slope is a crucial step.

If contour lines are not providing enough detail, always use the 3D view for a more accurate assessment.

Ready to try it out for yourself?

👉 Log in to Land Portal and start exploring properties in 3D today!